The Star of Romagna – Yoshika's Resolve
by atikabubu
Summary: A supplementary one shot to The Star of Romagna, showing the beginning from Yoshika's perspective. Read after the third chapter of TSoR!


_Aogeba Tōtoshi, waga shi no on… (As we look with reverence to all that we owe you our beloved teachers…)_

_Oshie no niwa nimo, haya ikutose… (Even within this garden of learning, my, how the years have passed…)_

_It's spring now. A beautiful, colorful spring. The sakura petals are swarming fluttering in the wind, the days are getting warmer and longer… I'm sitting in the school's auditorium beside Michiko, and we are now singing Aogeba Tōtoshi. _

_Yes, that's right – it's graduation day. My graduation day. _

_After Toshiro said to me that I have to get my grades back in order to be a doctor, I decided to do it immediately. I spent countless hours studying, with the help of mom, Michiko and some of the other girls from class. And I succeeded. I didn't manage to get straight A's… But! I managed to return back to my super-average level, heehee… My shortcomings in attendance were ironed out by my reputation as a Witch who combated Neuroi and… heehee… the fact that I'm the girlfriend of the Karlslander Emperor's nephew. It's a bit like cheating, but I guess they took my mental condition in the equation… That was a hard time for me, when Toshiro was supposedly dead… Now he's away from me too, but at least I know he's alive! _

_He sent me a telegram from Hawaii a few days after he left. Boy, was I happy! It's like I got a sacred relic, not a simple telegram containing a few simple words! Toshiro promised he'll be here by April, and I'm anticipating the day he returns, heehee! _

_We sit down, and the principal starts talking. _

"And now, the class A representative, Yoshika Miyafuji, will give a graduating speech."

_I stand up and slowly walk towards the scene. Yes, I was made class rep back again! Unbelievable! But it's only because I started _living_ again… While I was 'unavailable', Michiko was my stand-in. _

_I turn around to everyone._

"Everyone. Friends, rivals and dear teachers. I'm brimming with pride to be able to stand here, at this place and at this occasion, our graduation day. Many wondered if I would be able to graduate. I don't want to recall the events to lead to that. That is public knowledge as far as I know. Now, let's talk about pleasant, maybe bitter-sweet things.

We are graduating today. Some of us will go on to high school to have a chance to pursue their dreams of being a teacher, a doctor… Some of us will start helping their parents in their shops – that is also good. But we all have one thing in common. We made it to this day. I would like to thank my homeroom teacher, Miss Tamagami, for all putting up with me and the whole class. I would also like to thank the other teachers, for teaching all the other classes. Thank you all! We are who we are now because you were there for us. And I would like to thank the principle, because he was the one who held all of this together with an iron grip so it wouldn't fall apart, hahaha!"

_I laugh heartily, and everyone follows my lead. After a few seconds, I continue and end my speech.. _

"Thank you for all these years, everyone…"

_I feel tears coming down my cheeks. I bow down deeply, and everyone applauds me. This is one of the best days of my life… _

_ Later I get my diploma and we leave the school. The Westminster Quarters are playing for the last time… After some chatting with the rest, we both split off with Michiko. _

_The sakura petals are really wild today, flying with the wind like hundreds of swallows. _

"Woooow! It's a petal blizzard!" I shout in joy.

"Heehee, it is!" Michiko laughs but her face changes to a serious one. "Hey, Yoshika… We won't be able to walk to and from school again, you know…"

"Yes, Micchan…" I sigh. "But I really want to become **a** doctor, you know?"

"Heheh… Did Toshiro rekindle that fire inside of you?"

"Yes. Toshiro said that if I don't have good grades, I won't be able to become a doctor. I'm sort of afraid if any school will admit me with these average grades but… I want to become a certified doctor, not a quack…"

"Heeeeeeey!"

_I hear a cheerful male shout behind Michiko. After a few seconds, her grandpa appears on his shoddy utility vehicle. Heehee, it's fun to ride, but the last time we rode it, everything began… Michiko got injured, Miss Sakamoto scouted me out… and then… Toshiro, but also the Neuroi and all the gauntlet-like training from Miss Sakamoto… _

"Heeeey, grampaaaaa!" Michiko cheers.

_Her grandfather, Fujihiro stops beside us and says_, "Hop into the back, girls, I'll give you a lift!"

"But please, no adventures this time!" _I pout half-seriously, making him laugh._

"Okay, okay, I promise, hahaha!"

_The whole back was filled with lettuce cabbage, but we lowered the tailgate and sat on it. We rested our bags with our diplomas inside on the cabbages, and gramps drove forward. _

"This spring I'm actually going to a teacher's college in Yokohama." Michiko said suddenly after some time.

"Huh? That's amazing!" I cheer.

"No, no…" Michiko waves her hand and blushes.

_Gramps laughs and says_, "Michiko always liked studying, even as a little girl."

"Ah, so you'll be a teacher as an adult?" I ask.

"Yes, just as you'll be a doctor at the clinic, heehee…"

"Right, right!"

_After some time, we were passing through a road alongside a cliff. We could see the Naval Base port from there. And… _

"Oh, a warship!" I cheer.

"Oh…" Micchan looks around and opens her eyes wide. "It's the Yamato! It's 263 meters long, capable of generating one hundred fifty three thousand horsepower. It's the flagship of the allied fleet!"

"Soooo biiig… And you're really knowledgeable, Micchan."

"They printed it in a newspaper column, teehee…"

"The paper also said it's leaving for a European tour soon." Gramps said.

"Europe… So it's bound for Europe… That's roughly where Toshiro is…" I mumble silently.

_After a few seconds Gramps shouts and grabs the brake on the motorcycle like handlebar suddenly. Both Micchan and I tumble, but nothing bad happens like last time. _

"What is it, Grandpa?" Micchan asks while grabbing the railing behind the head of Gramps.

_I run forward and also grab the railing. Before us, I see a bear cub. From this distance I already see it has a nasty wound on its left hind leg. _

"It's a bear…" I say.

"What's a bear doing so close to town?" Gramps wonders.

"Oh no, it's hurt…" Micchan finally notices.

_I have to act, I didn't get this power for nothing! I jump out of the wagon. _

"Ah, Yoshika!" Micchan shouts behind me.

"Hey! That's dangerous, you two!" Gramps shouts behind me.

_I kneel before the bear. Its eyes are closed, and it's breathing heavily. The gashing wound is still bleeding bit by bit. The poor thing must be in pain…_

"You'll be okay, I'll heal you right away…" I say silently.

_Extending my hands over the bear cub, I activate my magic. _

_Kuji, give me the strength I need to do this… _

_The blue bubble of my magic expands as I feel my familiar's ears and tail popping out. Little by little, the open wound starts closing up. _

"Good luck, Yoshika!" Micchan cheers me up.

_Suddenly, Micchan screams. I raise my head. Oh my my my my… It's a bear… And it's probably the mother… Oh, what have I gotten myself into…__**?**__ What should I dooooo…__**!?**_

_I hear Gramps confirming what I just thought. _

"That's the mother, watch out!"

_I hear rustling behind me. Gramps must be dragging Micchan back. _

"Yoshika, run!"

_The bear is so scary… But… But I have to heal the cub! _

"Please wait just a little bit." I say calmly, both to Micchan and the bear mother.

_I see the wound has almost closed, just a wee little bit and the skin layers, blood vessels and nerves will be connected! _

_I hear the bear roar fiercely, but suddenly, the cub moves and squeals slightly! It sits on its bum, and… Heeheeheee, it licks my hand, heeheehee! _

_I stop my magic. Phew, it's a bit exhausting… I've gotten out of shape… _

_I move my face closer to the cubs face. It looks so cuuuuuuute! _

"See, little bear? It's okay, you're good to go."

_It licks me in the nose, waaaah! I giggle slightly. Now I raise my head… Whoa crap! The bear mother is at a breathing distance before me! Phew, it stinks... She should visit the dentist or stop eating animal carcasses… _

_She grabs the cub by the nape of its neck and picks it up. She looks me deep in the eyes. She may look ferocious, but her eyes thank me from the bottom of her enormous animal heart. She turns around and disappears in the bushes. _

_Wheeeeew… That was scary… I'm starting laughing nervously on my own… _

"Yoshika, are you okay?" Micchan asks.

"Yeah, yeah… It was so scary though!"

_I start laughing away as Micchan looks at me like I'm a loony, and the sakura petals swirl in the spring wind. _

_Gramps took us to my home. That is the Miyafuji General Ailments Clinic. _

"Thank you for the ride." I say to gramps and bow.

"Ah, no problem, Yoshika."

"Grandpa, I'll be leaving here too, okay?" "Just remember to return for dinner, okay?"

"Sure!" Micchan cheers.

_Gramps __**ran**__ the engine and drove off. _

"Whatcha gonna do here?" I ask.

"I wanted to pick some herbs around the forest surrounding your home, if you don't mind."

"Nah, the forest is for everyone, heehee…"

"Okay! I'm off!" Micchan cheers loudly and runs off.

_She is really such a nice girl. It's nice to have a cousin like her… Now, judgment day… I take out the tube with my diploma from my pouch… Deep breath… I can go! _

_I enter the clinic. _

"Tadaima!" I shout.

_Immediatelly, Mom peeks out from the living room._

"Aaaaaaah! My little middle school graduate!" She shouts and hugs me as if she's the bear that I just met. "Show me that diploma of yours!" She asks excited.

_With trembling hands I hand it over. Mom opens the tube and pulls out the diploma. She makes big eyes and her mouth falls open. _

"Wh-wh-what is it, m-mom?!" I ask while stuttering badly.

"Your grades… They're… They're…"

"Horrible…" I mumble and hang my head low.

"Wonderful!" Mom shouts and hugs me with tremendous force.

"W-whaaaaaaa?!" I shout surprised. "But those are the averagest of average! Lemme see, mom!"

_I pull the diploma of mom's hands. What… What is this?! My grades are all above average, good even! What wicked sorcery is this?! _

"I'm so proud of you Yoshika! With these grades you'll surely get into a good high school!"

_But how… Last I remembered my grades were basically so average I could name them Joe… Maybe… I see… But Toshiro didn't probably pull any strings directly, it just hit me by ricochet… Ah, maybe I should just give it a rest… Time to be a little selfish, heeheee… _

"Where's grandma?" I ask.

"Oh, she went out to the woods, she'll be back in a few minutes."

"Okay… Then I'll go to my room…"

"Sure, sure."

_I go to my room. I look into a drawer and pull out an envelope. It has my name and address on it… I sit on a pillow before the table and pull out the content of the envelope. The picture of my father standing on a cliff, somewhere in Britannia… See, father? I made it through middle school, and now I'm going to become a real doctor and help people, both with my innate power and with professional medical skills… _

_I put the photo down and look at the next one… The photo with little Miss Sakamoto and my father… And Toshiro's father… Ehhhh… It's been six months already since that all happened… Memories flash in my head like a strobe light… The good, the bad, the ugly… Memories of every event during which I felt strong emotions… _

_And there's this letter… The letter which started all of this… _

_Oh Toshiro… Come back already… _

"Yoshika! Yoshika!"

_Micchan is shouting after me? What could have possibly happened…__**?**__ I run towards the garden exit, and see Micchan holding something in her hands. _

"What's the matter?" I ask.

_She looks concerned. She presents what's in her hands. It's a wounded bird. _

"Awwwww… The poor thing… I got it, Micchan."

_I take the bird from Micchan. A quick surge of magic is all it takes. The bird stands on its legs, and it flies away towards the blue sky. _

"Look, it's flying again, Micchan!"

"Yay, thanks, Yoshika!"

_Suddenly, I see a glint in the sky. What is it? It's… A blue… Something… And it's fast and… Waaaah! It slammed in the bushes! I grab Micchan scared. _

"Huh, is that…" Micchan says.

_We come closer. It's a girl! A witch, wearing a Striker Unit! She has a green uniform, black hair, glasses and fox ears! _

"Umm… Hello?" I ask.

_Suddenly, the witch regains her composure and sits down. _

"Um, I am Amaki Suwa, with the 47th Flying Air Squadron." She introduces herself politely.

"Ah, nice to meet you." I reply.

"Is there a girl called Yoshika Miyafuji around here?" She asks while looking around nervously.

_She's looking for me? _

"Um, that would be me." I say.

"Oh, thank god! I have something for you!"

She stands up and gets out of the bushes. She pulls out and envelope and says, "This is a letter from Dr. Miyafuji."

"Ah, okay…" I say and get the letter from her. "Wait, WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!? Mooooom! Grandmaaaa!"

_What is this?! What's the meaning of this?! How? When? Why? _

_Oh, mom and grandma have already ran here. _

"What is it, Yoshika?" Mom asks. "Oh, we have a guest. Let's have some tea."

"Good morning ma'am." The witch says and bows.

"Why are you yelling like that, Yoshika?" Grandma asks.

"A-a-a letter from Dad!" I shout while waving the envelope over my head.

"Oh my…" Mom gasps. "But how can this be possible… Well, I will get some tea, and we will discuss this all together. Dear guest, do you want some tea?"

"If it's not a bother, than yes please…" The witch says a bit flustered.

_I sit down on the porch with my hands trembling. What is happening? A letter from dad? Now?! But… _

_He's dead… Officially and undoubtedly… If he were alive, he would just come to me… Just like Toshiro… He took his sweet time but… he finally returned… That stupid Galland had to take him away from me, but I know that he is alive… _

"Here, I just boiled the water for the tea. I only had black."

"No worries, Miss Miyafuji. I like black." The witch said as she took a cup from mom. "Thank you."

"Here, Yoshika." Mom give me a cup.

"No, Mom, not now… My hands are shaking too much…"

"Oh… Okay, open the envelope then, let's see what this is all about…"

_I rip open the envelope and pull out a folded blue sheet of paper. I unfold it and I see something weird. Some weird technical drawing that I couldn't understand even if my brain melted while trying to process it… I show it to the rest. _

"I really don't know what this is…" Mom says after a while of looking through the piece of paper at all angles.

"Um, excuse me miss…"

"Call me Amaki please."

"Okay… Amaki, do you know what this is all about?" I ask.

"Sadly I have no idea. I was just ordered to deliver this letter to you while I'm visiting in Fuso. I'm sorry…"

_I look at this drawing once again… Hmmm… Ah! _

"I know! I have to ask Miss Sakamoto about this, she worked with dad!"

"You mean Major Sakamoto from the naval academy?" Amaki asks surprised.

"Yes, the very same! I'll go there tomorrow!"

"Oh, then I'll go too!" Micchan says.

"My, my, what spirit you have, Yoshika…" Mom says. "You really recovered fully…"

"Say, young'un, why don't you stay for dinner?" Grandma asks Amaki.

"No, thanks but… I still have a lot of stuff to do…"

"No problem." Mom says. "Good luck with your errands."

"Thank you. And thank you for the tea."

_Amaki places the cup on the plate and goes to her Striker. _

"Oh, I'll help you!" I shout.

"And me!" Micchan joins me.

"My… How nice of you, heehee…" Amaki smiles towards us two.

_We pick up her Striker and she jumps into it. From what I know, this is a Kawasaki Ki-61. I once asked Miss Sakamoto "Why Zero's?" and she replied "Because they are fast, hahahaha!"… To each his own… _

_The engines of the Strikers come to life, Amaki gives us a bright smile and flares up into the sky. We both wave at her. _

_The next day, after breakfast, Micchan came to my house and we go running to the Naval Base gates. A familiar guard is standing beside his booth. _

"Aaah, if it isn'tYoshika…" He greets me kindly. "How are you today?"

"Good, Mister Masayoshi."

"And you brought your cousin? Do you have some business in the base?"

"Yes, I want to look for Miss Sakamoto. And if Micchan can come too…"

"Of course she can come in, but only if you promise to keep your eyes on her. Wait a second, I'll confirm this with the office."

_The guard enters his booth and does a phone call. He nods a few times and returns to us. _

"Go to hangar two, it's the one beside the one you can see here."

"Yay, thanks!" I cheer.

"Thank you." Micchan says and bows lightly.

"Come on, Micchan!"

"Okay!

We run a bit inside the base, but when we get close to the main building, we start trotting slowly, so the guards won't scold us.

"Hmmm… I haven't seen Miss Sakamoto for at least two weeks… I wonder if she's well…"

"It's great they let you on the base, Yoshika."

"Miss Sakamoto said that I'm considered a reservist, so I have free entry. Well, and maybe because Toshiro has made his name known here, heehee…"

"But Sakamoto must be really scary from what you've told me…"

"Naah, it's not that bad. She is very strict, that's an undeniable fact. But she has a really kind heart. I think that she won't dote on me, because she wants me to follow her in her footsteps, and be a hard samurai as she is." _I take a breath and make a laugh just like she does. _

"Hahaha!" Micchan laughs.

"But she actually told me not to come back here…"

"Huh? Why?"

"I don't really know…"

_We mosey on along and enter one of the hangars through the doors that are slightly slid apart. It's a bit dark inside… _

"Well, we're here…"

"It's a bit scary, Yoshika…"

"A bit… Oh, look!"

_I spot something I haven't seen for a loooong time… We both approach it. _

"This is Miss Sakamoto's Striker Unit…"

_So many memories… And the one that basically jumps up and yells "pick me!" is the one when Miss Sakamoto was shot down… If it weren't for me healing her, and Toshiro giving me a boost… And it was all my fault to begin with… If I hadn't agreed for that stupid duel with Perrine... _

"Yoshika, did you wear one of those when you fought the Neuroi in Britannia?"

"Yes… It's somewhat nice to see one again… I miss flying to be honest."

_Suddenly, the lights come on. _

"Sorry to keep you waiting." _A male voice sounds from behind me._

_I turn around and see Micchan doing the same. _

"Ah, hello… You are… Hijikata, right?"

"Yes. I'm glad you remember my name after only one encounter. Lovely to see you again, in less dramatic circumstances…" _He says and looks at Micchan__**.**_

"Eheheh…" _Micchan laughs dryly._

"I have to apologize." _Hijikata says as he approaches us._ "You came all the way here, but the Major is off base right now."

"Huh? Off base? Oh bother…" _I say disappointed._ "Where did she go?"

"I cannot answer that. Since she's partially retired, I'm acting as a liaison between her and the IFN."

"Oh… Well, I received a letter from my father yesterday…" _I say and pull the letter out of my pocket._

"A letter from Dr. Miyafuji? But he passed away so long ago… How…"

"You ask me, I ask you… I really don't know… It's just too weird… But I figured that Miss Sakamoto might know, since she knew my father well."

"Understood." _Hijikata says with a smile._ "I'll give this letter to the Major when she returns."

"Oh! Please do! Thank you very much!" _I shout and bow._

"Isn't that swell, Yoshika?" _Micchan asks with a cheerful face. _

"Duh! Heehee…"

"Heeeey, Miss Yoshikaaaa!" _A male voice suddenly cheers._

_I look towards the side of the hangar, and see a few mechanics peering inside. Ah, those must be the guys that got the sweets I made as part of… I dunno, rehabilitation? Those are Toshiro's friends, so I wanted to repay them for being with Toshiro all this time in the IFN. _

"Oh, hiiii!" _I wave my hand and cheer._

"The sweets were really something, Miss Miyafuji! We look for more!"

"Ahhhh… Heeeh…" _I feel my cheeks going red._ "It's the least I can give you all for being friends with Toshiro…"

"Say, Miss Miyafuji… Are the rumors true?"

"What rumors?"

"That Toshiro is alive."

"Hmmm… I don't know if I can tell anything…"

"Oh, come on! Half of the base is bustling with rumors!"

"Well… Yes, Toshiro is alive. He's in Africa right now."

"Ah, I knew it! Jin, Takeshi – pay up!"

"Yeah, yeah…" The two guys around the one talking before mumbled.

_The three went away. _

"Heehee, you're sure popular, Yoshika…" Micchan giggled.

"N-n-naaah… Not true at all…" _I say while blushing wildly and playing with my index fingers. _

_Suddenly, a man runs in and stops at the hangar entrance. _

"Officer Hijikata! You have an urgent communiqué from the Gallian military command!"

_Gallia? What's going on? _

"What is it?" Hijikata asked.

"Something strange is happening with the Neuroi in Europe."

_N-Neuroi… Europe… Gallia?! But Lynne! And Perrine! I… I have to go! _

"M-Mister Hijikata, can we follow you?!" I ask loudly. "My friends are in Gallia!"

"You can, come on! To the radio room!"

"Micchan!"

"Okay, Yoshika!"

_The both of us ran fast, not much slower than Mister Hijikata. We run into a dark room, full of radio equipment. _

"You're fast, Hijikata." One of the men manning the radios said. "Oh, you even have guests… Whatever, here's the communiqué…"

From: Gallia-stationed Witches.

To: All allied commanding posts. The Neuroi that emerged in the Venezian airspace yesterday are considerably stronger than the previous ones. Venezia fell the same day. In response, the Romagna based504th Joint Allied Wing engaged the enemy and suffered massive casualties. They are no longer combat capable."

_W-what? A whole unit… No longer capable… Gods, what happened…? How could a single unit be disabled so fast?! _

"The Romagna-based 504th Joint Allied Wing is no longer combat capable?! There are Fuso Witches in that squadron!" _Mister Hijikata shouts surprised._

"Don't you have a friend or two in Gallia, Yoshika?" Micchan asked.

"Y-y-yes… Two…"

_Mister Hijikata started calling out the 504__th__ on the radio. _

"This is the Gallian military command post." _A voice too familiar to me spoke._ "Britannia AirForce Master Sergeant Lynette Bishop, responding."

"Lynne!"

_I slowly approach the radio station so I can hear better. _

"I don't know the details. We have requested reinforcements, but we don't have enough Witches to mount a proper defense." Lynne said aloud, panting and wheezing.

"That's absurd… Even if we are low on Witches… But how…" _Mister Hijikata started doubting aloud._

"Also… we…" Lynne tried to say something, but the transmission started fading.

"What's wrong? Do you copy, Sergeant Lynnette!?"

"It's impossible." One of the radiomen said. "There is too much ionospheric interference, not to mention the transmission is going across half the globe... We can't…"

"Damn… So it's hopeless…"

_No… No… This can't be happening… _

"I beg you! Please radio her again!" _I plead._ "That girl is one of my best friends!"

_Mister Hijikata makes a surprised face, but he turns around to the radioman. _

"Radio her again!"

"I'll try!"

_Mister Hijikata hands me over the receiver. I cling it tightly, and press it firmly against my ear. Lynne… Please… Be okay… _

"This is the Fuso Navy, Yokosuka base. Gallia military command, do you copy?!" The radioman shouted. "This is the Fuso Navy. Do you copy?!"

"Lynne, can you hear me?! Say something, Lynne!"

_Suddenly, a violent sound resounded in the room. I cower in fear and look to my right. I… I-I-I-it's Miss Sakamoto! She shut down the radio station but… Why? And is that a new sword…__**?**__ And why that burlap poncho…__**?**_

"Miyafuji… What are you doing here?" _She asks me with a cold voice and a stare that could pierce steel. _

"M-M-Miss S-S-Sakamoto… I-I-I…" _I stutter heavily, but I muster all my courage._"It's Lynne! She's in trouble! The Neuroi are back!"

"That has nothing to do with you!" She yells.

"It does! Lynne is my friend!"

_Miss Sakamoto sighs and says, _"Your friend, eh? You never change… Just let us handle the situation in Europe. Miyafuji, you are not part of the Fuso military. You have no right to be here. Get the hell out!"

"B-b-but… I'm a reservist… Lynne… Perrine… Toshiro… Why… Miss Sakamoto… Why…?"

"Guards!" _Miss Sakamoto yells._

_Immediatelly, two guards come into the room and salute. _

"Take these two out of the base! They have no right to step on the base grounds again! Use force if you have to!"

"Yes ma'am!" The two men responded.

_They make gestures encouraging us to leave on their own. I can't take it… This isn't right… But if I just explode here… No… I can only send a furious face towards Miss Sakamoto… She doesn't even matter… _

_The guards have escorted us out of the base. The gate was slammed shut behind us. I slowly walk towards home… I couldn't even convince Miss Sakamoto of taking her with me… How can I fight the Neuroi then? _

_Why bother… But maybe she's right? Maybe Miss Sakamoto can do it on her own, despite not having shields at her disposal… Maybe I'm just dead weight… _

_Micchan is trying to cheer me up… Ehh… _

_We stop at one place that has a nice view over the whole base. We can see the Yamato, but… There's a flying boat approaching… _

"Wow! Look at the size of that flying boat!" Micchan gasped in wonder.

_I sniff… I'm close to tears as it is… If only I could be on that boat… I could make it to Europe in a week or less… Just like Toshiro did… Hmmm… What is that? The crane is loading a Launch Unit inside the boat… I never saw such a Striker!_

"Micchan, that's some kind of new Striker Unit!"

"What is it, Yoshika?"

"She's ready to fly again… Miss Sakamoto is willing to fight the Neuroi again…"

_But… I can't let this happen! She has no shields! And… Oh gods… If Miss Sakamoto is going to Romagna, and Toshiro is in Cyrenaica… There's no way they won't send him there! I have to get on that flying boat, no matter what!_

_I run away fast. _

"Yoshika!" Micchan shouts behind me.

_Run, run, run! My stamina is pathethic, but I have to run! But… Oh no, it's starting, and I'm not even halfway there! _

"Miss Sakamoto, wait!"

_I quickly run to one spot in the fence. I remember a hole being there. The branches of the shrubs there scratch my face, but the hole is still there! I squeeze through and run to the hangar. _

_I place my hands on the door and open it. I'm so out of shape. _

"Miss Miyafuji?!" The mechanics inside wonder.

_I take two breaths and run to the Launch Unit. I quickly jump inside. This feeling… I missed it… _"Yoshika Miyfuji, taking off!"

_I start the engine. _

"You're not going anywhere, Miss Miyafuji! Nobody ordered you to take off!" _One of the men stands before me, barring my way. _

"Please! I'm begging you! Let me go with Miss Sakamoto!"

"B-But…"

"Yoshika!" _Somebody shouts from behind me._

_I turn my head around. Micchan? Wow, you're fast… She approaches me with a sad look on her face… _

"Micchan? Micchan… I have to go…"

_If not for the __**soft**__ rumbling of my Striker's engines, the hangar would be now basked in silence. But Micchan suddenly raises her head, with tears welling in her eyes. _

"Have a safe flight!" She cheers. "I'll be waiting for you!"

"Okay! I promise I will return!"

"Open the front door!" One of the men shouted.

"Roger!"

"Aye-aye!"

_Both of his helpers respond. The door opens wide. I can see the sea, and Miss Sakamoto's airboat in the distance. I put more magic into my engines, the revs steady go up. A magic circle forms around me. _

"Such strong magic power…" One of the men gasped.

"Route set!"

"Wind velocity, check!"

"Striker Unit stabilizing bolt, released! All clear to take off!"

_I look once more at Micchan. Stay safe home, dear cousin… _

"Take off!" _I shout and shoot forward._

_The blooming sakura trees are on my way. Going through them creates a storm of beautiful pink petals. Miss Sakamoto, I'm coming! _

_It only takes me less than half a minute to reach Miss Sakamoto's flying boat. I fly to the side of it. _

"Miss Sakamoto!" I shout from the top of my lungs.

_The door suddenly opens, and Miss Sakamotois standing there._

"What are you doing you blithering idiot?! Go back!"

"Please, Miss Sakamoto! Take me with you!"

"No! You have other things to do in Fuso!"

"What things?! Healing birds?! Miss Sakamoto, my friends are in peril! I can't enjoy the life of a high school girl knowing that! And Toshiro is going to Romagna too, I'm sure of that! And it want to protect all of them!"

_Miss Sakamoto must have been moved by me answer. She looks stumped. And… She's laughing?! _

_What the… _

"Um… Miss Sakamoto? Is your head okay?"

_She extends her hand towards me. _

"My noggin is fine, jump onboard, Miyafuji!"

_Waaaah! Yeeees! Yeeeees! _

_I fly towards her extended hand. She grabs it firmly, and pulls me inside. I pre-emptively turn off my Striker, but I lose my balance and fall on my face. _

"Owww…" _I mumble and look around. _

_Huh? Who's that? And wasn't Mister Hijikata supposed to be here? _

_I feel __**a**__ hand picking me up and pulling me out of the Striker. Then the same hands turn me around. Miss Sakamoto is looking at me with a weird expression. Out of the blue, she knocks on my forehead, as if it was a door! _

"Ow, that hurts!"

"I'm just checking if your brain is inside. Apparently, it is… Ehhh…. Miyafuji… I'll get hair like Toshiro because of you, hahahaha!" I just stare blankly at her.

"Um, where's Mister Hijikata?"

"He got a transfer order only minutes before we departed. Oh well, not that I terribly needed him…" "And who…"

"That's an engineer sent by Kawanishi."

"Harutora Yuzuru, pleased to meet you." The man says and bows his head.

"A pleasure…" I respond and bow with my whole body.

"He's to keep this flying boat in check, but also to maintain my new Striker Unit."

"Ah, right, I saw it back on land. What is it?"

"The Kawanishi N1K5-J… The Shiden…" She says with a dreamy voice. "Be a good girl, and maybe you'll also get one like that, hahaha! But I doubt it since… well A, it's a prototype, and B, commandeering my old Striker won't exactly give you bonus points…"

"Eeeeeheheheh…" _I laugh dryly while scratching my head._

"Sit on the bench, and let's get this on with… We'll need a week to get to Romagna. We will be stopping in Hawaii, LA, Florida and Gibraltar along the way. If you need to take a leak, well…" _Miss Sakamoto says and points out a bucket in the corner. _

"A bucket…" _I say with disdain._

"I promise I won't peek!" The engineer said.

"I hope…" Mio mumbled while grabbing the hilt of her sword.

"I understand the message!" The engineer shouted.

"Heehee..."

_One week, and there's a big chance I'll see Toshiro. One week, and I'll see my friends again, at least a few of them. _

_Some time has passed, and we landed in Hawaii, Pearl Harbor to be exact. Because I rushed so hastily to board the plane (and Miss Sakamoto wasn't without fault either), we had to get some basic supplies for us. Sure, there's a lot of supplies in the plane, but only about 10% are for us… We've met some guys named Kowalski and Goldman, and they helped us with supplies. Of course for a fee… Miss _

_Sakamoto took me __**to**__ the comms room on the base, and I could send a telegram to Mom, just in case Micchan forgot to tell them where I was going… And it turned out that Steve, the radioman, sent Toshiro's telegram! So I was now on the same route he was! Yay! _

_Later, we landed in LA. We had to buy some more supplies and refuel, so we went out to town. And… Wow… I bumped into Lizzie Taylor in the store! And she gave me an autograph! How lucky could I get!? _

_In Florida, I only went for a stroll on the beach, and that's all. _

_The flight was really boring. The engineer feared to even look at me when Miss Sakamoto was sitting beside me, and she wasn't a party animal either… The jump over the Atlantic was long, but soon we landed in Gibraltar for refueling and to get the last part of the supplies, those which couldn't last long. _

_And we were off towards Romagna. _

"We are currently above the Adriatic." The pilot said says through the PA system. "We'll soon arrive at the target, the newly adapted military base in Pescara, Romagna."

"Aaaah…I can finally get off this plane…" _I sigh._

"You've gotten soft, Miyafuji…"

_I quickly snap into attention. I can't get on her bad side! _

"Whining about a flight as short as this one? Just imagine that Toshiro had to undertake an identical venture."

"Sorry…" _I prostrate._ "Ah, Miss Sakamoto, did you figure out the contents of the letter from my father?"

"No. But I think it might concern Dr. Miyafuji's research. I handed it over to engineering. But it's probably just a screw up in the censorship office that held it up. A rather lengthy one, but I've heard of letter being delivered longer…"

"Bother…"

_Suddenly, a buzzer sounded. _

"Unidentified craft detected on radar." The pilot said through the PA system. "Approaching at high speed."

"What?!" _Miss Sakamoto shouts as she stands up violently._

_The sky in the plane's windows suddenly became red and I heard the beams buzzing. Oh no… We're basically defenseless now! _

_A sudden explosion shook the plane and it tilted slightly. I had to grab the fuselage or I would fall over… _

"What is it?!" _Miss Sakamoto shouts._

"The first engine got hit!" They received a report.

_It can't be… The Neuroi is coming for us… Toshiro, please, be around… Help us… _

_Miss Sakamoto goes to a hemispherical window on the side. She lifts her eye patch. _

"Neuroi spotted, approximately twelve thousand units out!"

_I gasp… It's close… Too close… _

"So they've already made it here..." _Miss Sakamoto asked herself._

_The plane tilted violently again. I hit my back, but after returning to a level position, I fell right into Miss Sakamoto's arms… Or rather on her breasts… She also had troubles standing… _

_Miss Sakamoto lets me go and she runs off to the cockpit. I wonder what she is planning… I run after here. She notices me in the door. _

"Did you think I was going to fight it? No chance, we're running away from it. We'll wait for the local Witches to back us up."

"Okay!" _I respond cheerfully._

_Whew… Good… I'm relieved… And we'll have backup soon, I wonder… We return back to the back of the plane, but I hear a distant rumbling sound. Miss Sakamoto also must have heard it, as she approaches the window with me. There's a fleet of battleships firing their cannons at the Neuroi. _

"No good…" _Miss Sakamoto says._ "They'll need much stronger ammunition to take out a large-type Neuroi…"

_I see… Yes, they are really pounding it hard but… But it regenerates almost instantaneously… _

"It's a large target, so it's easy to hit, but you have eyes and see that it's like shooting with a pistol at a tank… Unless they hit the core…"

_Miss Sakamoto was interrupted by the Neuroi firing a beam and splitting one of the ships in half. It exploded in a large fireball… Oh my… The poor men… Such a tragedy… Why must these Neuroi bother us…__**?**__ Why…__**?**_

"They've sunk the destroyer." _Miss Sakamoto states the obvious._ "Where the hell are those Romagna Witches?!"

"Major, I've sent a backup call to the 1st Romagnan Airborne, but they said we're beyond their cruising range." A voice said through the intercom.

_Suddenly, another ship was sunk. _

"Oh no…. Another one!"

"They're too slow to dodge… They're sitting ducks out there…"

"The 504th are nearby, but due to yesterday sortie, they're not combat-capable. We're looking, at minimum, a half an hour for backup Witches to arrive." The pilot said through the intercom again. "A half an hour?! Outrage! Those ships will be wiped out in five minutes if this keeps up!"

"Wiped out?" I ask.

_Miss Sakamoto looked fiercely through the window. _

"I'm going out!" She shouts.

"Heeeh?!"

"Engineer, how's my Striker?!"

"Ready when you are, Major!"

"No, please, you can't!" _I stand before the Major._

"Move, Miyafuji!"

"I'm not moving anywhere! You can't raise your shield anymore. I'm begging you, don't go out there…"

"Heh… I remember you stopping me like this once before… But don't fret, Miyafuji, I intend to return alive."

"But… But…"

"You're right, though… After I turned twenty, I lost the ability to use my shield, which you witnessed in Britannia… But I got my new Shiden, and it will enable me to fly like I never flew before!" Miss Sakamoto says with confidence. "You saved my life. I'm not about to just throw it away, you know?"

"Then… I have one request, just one!"

"And that would be?"

"Allow me to fight with you!"

"Hahahaha! Sounds good! Let's to this, Miyafuji… Together!"

"Yes ma'am!"

_I run to my Striker which is in the Launch Unit. I jump inside. _

"Miyafuji, go ahead and lead the Neuroi away from the Venezian fleet, I'll hit its core from the rear!" She orders. "Here, a transponder!"

_Miss Sakamoto throws a pair of transponders and I plug them in my ears. _

"Roger!"

_I grab a gun. The usual Type 99… It also was I while since I fired a gun… I hope I can still do it… _

_The roof above me opened, and the lift under the Launch Unit lifted me outside. The wind is blowing fiercely in my face. _

"Fly, Miyafuji!"

"Roger!"

_I slowly lift from the Launch Unit to match the airspeed of the airboat. I tumble slightly, and then, the Neuroi fires at the place where I was, destroying the Launch Unit. Oh you monster!" _

"Miss Sakamoto?" _I ask through the transponder._

"Don't worry, Miyafuji, they only got the Launch Unit." She said. "Look out, another beam!"

_I look towards the Neuroi. It formed a large beam from multiple smaller ones and fired at me. I raise a shield, the biggest one I can muster to shield the airboat. Thankfully, I manage to do it. _

_I turn around to the Neuroi and slap my butt. _

"Come and get me!"

_I fly away from the airboat, looking at the Neuroi. It took the bait! I fly while dodging __**its**__ beams, and at the same time I'm shielding the ships from the Venezian fleet. It's hard to do, but I must endure. I can't watch how people die! _

"Leave the battlefield while I lure the enemy away!" _I shout through the transponder._

"Out of question. We can't leave you to do the battle alone!" _I receive an answer from some old man._

_How stubborn… Just move away! Oh, but they do! They're turning… uh… starboard? Anyway, they're running away! _

"Thank goodness…"

_I sense something. I turn around, and see another barrage of beams. I block them, with heavy breath. But… what the… Miss Sakamoto? Why is she on the top of the airboat…__**?**_

_I see magic enveloping her. Her animal features pop up. _

_The Neuroi stopped firing, and it seemingly focused on Mio, who was flying on the airboat straight for it! _

_Suddenly, she started running. _

"Miss Sakamoto, it's dangerous!"

"MIO!"

_That voice… I look at the source of that voice. It's him… It's HIM! _

"TOSHIRO! Don't you dare interfere now! This is my moment!"_Miss Sakamoto yells. _

"But what can you do against that Neuroi?!" _He shouts._

"There's nothing a witch can't do!"

_The Neuroi started charging up for an attack but then, Miss Sakamoto lunged from the plane. _

"MIO!" _He shouts._

_Miss Sakamoto, what are you doing?! She drops down at the Neuroi with the sword raised above her head, and the Neuroi fires. No… No! _

_But instead of hitting her, the beam splits up?! Waaaaaaah?! She cut it with her sword?! Coooool! _

"Sudden Death!" She shouted, as she was getting closer to the Neuroi itself. "REPPUZAN!"

_The beam was finally split completely, and Miss Sakamoto rammed through the Neuroi with full speed. She came out on its bottom, just as it started to decompose into white flakes. _

_Woah cool, ahhh, she has no Striker! I got to save her! _

_I fly up quickly towards her and catch her. I look behind me. Toshiro is already there. He's only half a meter before me, who is now holding Miss Sakamoto… My heart is rushing… He is basically halfnaked… _

"Oh, hey, Toshiro. So you saw my new sword, Reppumaru, do you think it's a good…" _Miss Sakamoto greets Toshiro but she's interrupted._

"Sorry, Mio, but shut up for a second."

_He took Miss Sakamoto from me and threw her under his right arm like a carpet. He embraced me tightly with his left hand. Oh, Toshiro… Don't be so forceful… I know you missed me… _

"Toshiro…" _I say silently._

"Yoshika… I missed you…" _He says with a voice that made me all mushy._

_His lips connected with mine. Toshiro, not so fast… We're in front of people watching us… We… We have to have some decency… But it's so good… I hug him in return, a bit too hard, because I feel my fingernails digging into his back… Oh well, I'll heal it… Toshiro… I'll never let you go again… _

"Uhm, I don't want to interrupt you two love birds but… Miyafuji, attention!"

_I want to cry… Aaaaaaaww… _


End file.
